


Reiterate

by engagemythrusters



Series: ReVerse [2]
Category: Doctor Who (2005), Torchwood
Genre: Dialogue-Only, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-09
Updated: 2019-06-10
Packaged: 2020-04-23 04:53:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,467
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19143955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/engagemythrusters/pseuds/engagemythrusters
Summary: Both Jack and Ianto have words with the Doctor before their journey begins.





	1. Chapter 1

“Doctor!”

“Ah, Jack! Did you enjoy those new beds last night?”

“No! Bunk beds, Doctor? Really? _Bunk beds?”_

“Amy and Rory like them just fine.”

“Are you sure about that?”

“I… yes, now what do you want?”

“Well, first and foremost, my old bed. It was just fine and could perfectly fit two people. But if I can’t have that, then…”

“What is it?”

“Look, you’ve got to promise not to say anything to Ianto, okay? He’s the silent type. Doesn’t like to draw attention to this kind of stuff.”

“But you do?”

“But I do.”

“Tell me what it is, Jack.”

“It’s just… he’s tired.”

“It is pretty early in the morning. For him, that is. It’s not morning here, that’d be silly. This is a TARDIS, not a planet; there’s no discernable days or nights.”

“That’s not it. This is different.”

“The Fnnebian virus.”

“How’d you know?”

“Records, Jack, remember? I checked them out before I came to get you yesterday. I’ve seen everything the hospital has on him. And I know a thing or two myself about the virus. I’m a doctor!”

“Can you do something about it?”

“You know I can’t. There’s no cure to that kind of tired.”

“I supposed as much. Just figured I’d ask, while I’m at it.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Me too. Um, listen, I know you said you wanted to start touring the Gamma Corvi system--”

“Binary stars! Love those. I’ll have you know, I once travelled to a binary system that had--”

“Yeah, I know. You’ve told me this one.”

“Have I? Oh, that’s right, I have! I took Rose there soon before I met you. Rose… I wonder how she’s doing with that other version of me. Well. Me back when he was me. Back when I was him? I don’t know, I never took the Time Lord tenses class back when--”

“Yeah, yeah, that’s great, it’s just--”

“You keep interrupting me.”

“You keep interrupting _me_!”

“Alright, well, let’s both agree to stop interrupting each other, then.”

“Fine.”

“Splendid. Now. You were saying something about the Gamma Corvi system?”

“I think we should wait. Just until tomorrow.”

“Any reason why?”

“‘Fun trips’ with you tend to end in a lot of running, and I don’t think… I’m not sure Ianto’s quite up for that at the moment.”

“I suppose not, no.”

“Thank you.”

“We’ll just go to the Rho Scorpii system instead. Rho Sco. Should be fun, with a name like that, eh?”

“Doctor, no offense, but that’s still going to go sideways. It always does with you. Which is fine. Normally. Just not now. Right now, he just needs to be… resting.”

“Safe, you mean.”

“Yeah.”

“I promise you, I _can_ do safe.”

“I know you can. I really do. I’m just… well, I just…”

“You’re not willing to tempt fate.”

“Something like that, yeah.”

“Jack.”

“What?”

“He’s not as fragile as you think.”

“Maybe not. But can you blame me for trying to keep him alive?”

“No, but shutting him away isn’t--”

“I’m not shutting him away! I’m the one who convinced him to come, remember? I want him to get out there again, to feel like he’s a part of something again! But I almost lost him, Doctor. I almost lost him, and it was my fault. And it was so close to being too late to save him. He could have… I’m not losing him, you got that? I _can’t_ lose him. I know he said all that crap about making sure I don’t die, but this isn’t about me. I’m not the priority. _He_ is. Okay? If anything happens to him, I swear on any last redeeming quality I’ve got left… Well. You figure it out.”

"You interrupted me. We promised we wouldn't interrupt each other.”

“I know. I’m sorry.”

“No worries. Have you got it all out of your system now?”

“Yeah. I think so.”

“Good. I assure you, Jack, I’m not going to let anything happen to your Ianto Jones. Cross my hearts and stick a needle… no. I’m not sticking a needle in my eye, but I’ll still cross both my hearts.”

“Thank you.”

“Now, what do you propose we do instead?”

“Honestly? I hadn’t thought that far ahead.”

“You sound more and more like me every day. How about a nice tour of the TARDIS?”

“Again? We did that yesterday.”

“There’s still a lot more to see. You know that.”

“Not really. It’s changed since I’ve been here.”

“So it has. I suppose you could use an extended tour, too, then?”

“That would be nice.”

“Wonderful. Now, go wake your not-husband or your whatever-he-is up.”

“Alright. We’ll meet you in like twenty minutes. Oh, and Doctor?”

“Yes?”

“Thanks. Really.”

“Jack, I think this is the most you’ve ever thanked me.”

“Oh. Um, sorry?”

“It’s fine. You’re welcome. Now, go!”

“I’m going! Sheesh!”


	2. Chapter 2

“Spanner. Spanner, spanner, spanner, where is my span--oh, hello, there you are! Come on, you rascally little thing, out into the light you get. We’ve got a big job ahead of us if we want to adjust the console before we move along our merry way. Hm. I wonder if I could get--”

“Doctor?”

“Ouch!”

“Careful. You’ll hit your head.”

“You’re a cheeky man, Ianto Jones, has anyone ever told you that?”

“I believe if you replace ‘cheeky’ with ‘sardonic’ or perhaps ‘cynical,’ then yes, I have been informed on multiple occasions.”

“Oh, I like you. I like you very much.”

“Thank you.”

“Now, what can I do for you, Mr. Jones?”

“Jack.”

“I... beg your pardon?”

“The tour we went on today. That was his idea, wasn’t it?”

“No, it was mine.”

“But skipping Gamma Corvi was?”

“Yes. That was him.”

“Right. I see. Thank you.”

“Ianto, before you go…”

“Yes?”

“Don’t be mad at him for that.”

“Oh. I’m not mad about it. I don’t think I could do much running today, even if it was for my life.”

“Okay, for the record, while there is copious amounts of running, I’m not _constantly_ fleeing for my life.”

“Are you sure?”

“Well. Maybe just a little.”

“Doctor, it’s fine. I’m not mad at him.”

“I’m glad.”

“But I hope you didn’t listen to anything else he said.”

“Why not?”

“He’s paranoid.”

“He’s trying to keep you safe.”

“Last month, I got sick. A minor bug. It was bound to happen eventually, what with entering a whole new millennia’s worth of germs and viruses. I was down for all of three, maybe four days. And Jack… Every time I coughed, he lost it. He looked at me like I was _sick_ again, like I was going to die any second. He was breaking right in front of me, all because I had a tickle in my throat. I wasn’t even running a fever.”

“Well, when you go through something like--”

“I know what it’s like. I was there. _I_ was the that nearly died, and _I_ wasn’t worried about a minor cough. Jack called the hospital four times when he thought I wasn’t paying attention, all because he was so afraid I was going to flatline on the spot.”

“What are you saying?”

“What I’m saying is that I know I’m going to die one day. It’s going to happen, it’s a fact. Maybe it will be here, with you, maybe it won’t. I mean, I hope it’s not here. I’d like to live a bit longer than that, thank you very much. But my point is, you can’t stop it. _Jack_ can’t stop it. He’s got to learn to live with it.”

“You sound much more confident about living a dangerous life than you did yesterday.”

“Oh, don’t mistake me, I’m still very much into preserving my own life. Like I said, I’m not exactly ready to shuffle off this mortal coil just yet. The original panic’s just worn off a bit. But promise me you won’t mollycoddle Jack this entire time. Let me live a little, even if it means Jack will fret and moan.”

“I won’t stick a needle in my eye.”

“What?”

“Don’t worry, only reiterating something. I simply mean I’ll cross my hearts, and that’ll have to be enough for you.”

“Alright. I think. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. You’re a lot feistier than Jack, you know that?”

“Hm. I suppose I can be, yes. I’ll see you later. Jack’s going to be a showoff in that swimming pool of yours.”

“Well, my lovely little spanner, that was interesting, wasn’t it? Swapped their fears, they did. I wonder how many time’s that’ll happen over this trip. They’re even more impossible than Amy and Rory, aren’t they? This might be the most interesting six Altean months I’ve ever had. Now, best get back to work. Gamma Corvi tomorrow, we can't miss that!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If all goes according to plan (cross your fingers and press your thumbs), then there will be a longer story of Jack and Ianto's travels with the Doctor to follow. We'll wait and see.  
> For the moment, I'll thank you for reading and bid you a pleasant week!

**Author's Note:**

> Trying a new style. But once only, I'm thinking. Not sure I'll ever do this again.  
> As per my usual, this remains unedited.  
> Thanks for reading! Have a lovely day!


End file.
